Toy air rifle with ejection of spent casing

ABSTRACT

A toy air rifle designed to dispatch a hollow projectile from its cylindrical casing by means of air forced through this casing by a spring loaded compression piston located in a movable cylinder and characterized by frictional engagement of the cylinder housing said compression piston with the projectile casing and a pivotally mounted member for positive ejection of the spent casing.

I United States Patent [in 3,552,372

[72] Inventor James W- Wilkerson [56] References Cited Rte. 5, Savannah, Tenn. 38372 UNITED STATES PATENTS [2U P 2,887,809 5/1959 Nichols 124/30 [22] Filed Apr.26, 1968 2,921,573 1/1960 Horowitz... 273/106 [45] Patented Jan. 5, 1971 C 3,056,395 10/1962 Merz 124/11 ontinuahon-ln-part of application Ser. No. 481,560 A 23 1965 nowabandoned 3,111,121 11/1963 Baggott.. 124/15 3,212,490 10/1965 Merz 124/15 FOREIGN PATENTS 858,282 l/196l Great Britain 124/13 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Richard W. Diaz Attomey-J. T. Martin [54] TOY AIR RIFLE WITH EJECTION 0F SPENT CASING ABSTRACT:Atoyairnfledesignedtodispatchahollowproscmmsanmwmg Flgs' jectile from its cylindrical casing by means of air forced [52] U.S.CI 124/15, through this casing by a spring loaded compression piston 124/30 located in a movable cylinder and characterized by frictional [51] Int. Cl F41!) 11/00 engagement of the cylinder housing said compression piston [50] Field of Search 124/1 1, 30; with the projectile casing and a pivotally mounted member for 273/ 106, 4; 124/ 15, 13 positive ejection of the spent casing.

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)i IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/fi/I/IIIII/I/II/II/II PATENTED JAN 51971 SHEET 1 OF 2 N Wm M W W S E M M ATTORNEY mm JAN 5 .97

sum 2 or 2 INVENTO on mm JAMES w. WILKERSQN TTORNEY TOY AIR RIFLE WITH EJECTION OF SPENT CASING This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 48 l ,560 filed Aug. 23, 1965, and since abandoned. g

Previously, toy air rifles have been described that are capable of firing hollow bullets fitted into cylindrical casings by forcing air through that casing into the hollow of the bullet so quickly and in such volume relative to the capacity of .the bullet hollow that the bullet is torn free of its casing fitting and projected through the barrel of the air rifle. In such toy air rifies, as distinguished from pellet guns, the bullet generally is released with too little force to prove harmful to people, while being released with a force sufiicient to simulate the action of a firearm. 1 f

It is desirable to simulate both the action andireliability of a v rifle, as the authenticity of the toy is often the rneasure of commercial success of the product. Concurrently, the simplicity of operation and durability of the working parts can often determine the success of such a product in a competitive market. Consequently, by providing a reliable toy air rifle that can be manufactured at low cost and still afford great authenticity in its operation and appearance, I have filled the need for a more competitive product.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the drawings filed herewith. a

FIG. 1 represents a side elevation of a section of my rifle shown in the cocked position with phantom lines representing the bolt assembly in the cocking position. I v

FIG. 2 represents a plan view of a section of my rifle shown in the cocked position with phantom lines representing the bolt assembly in the cocking position.

FIG. 3 represents a sectional view of asection of my rifle I taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 with phantom lines representing the ejection of a spent casing.

FIG. 4 represents a sectional view of a section of my rifle taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the bolt'in the cock (1 position with phantom lines representing the bolt in the cocking position.

FIG. 5 represents a side elevation of a section of my rifle shown in the cocking position. i

FIG. 6 represents a sectional view taken along lines 66 FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 represents a sectional view takenalong lines 7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5.

My toy air rifle 10 is provided with an elongated hollow cylinder 11 having a projecting bolt arm'12 that is fastened to cylinder ll 'near its stock end. The spring cup 13 is threaded and is fastened securely to cylinder 11 by screwing those threads into mating engagement with thethreads provided at the stock end of cylinder 11 for that purpose.

Internal coil spring 14 is securely fastened inside spring cup 13 at one end and inside cylindrical cup 15 at the other end. Cylindrical cup 15 is fastened to the stock end of axial sh 16. Correspondingly, a piston 17 is fastened to the barrel end of axial shaft 16. This piston 17 is made air tight by compression seal 18in order that the pressure of the air near the barrel end of cylinder 11 can be increased by a forward thrustof shah 16.

The casing 21 is mated by frictional resistance onto the cylinder extension 19, thereby allowing the cylinder to retain the casing when the cylinderis moved rearwardly.

The barrel end of cylinder 11 is provided with a tubular cylinder extension 19 designed to be inserted into the base bf casing 21 in frictional engagement therewith so that the tube supplied through cylinder extension 19 is aitially aligned with aperture 20 provided in the base ofcasing 21.

Casing 21 is designed to receive a hollow bullet 22 that is frictionally secured inside casing 21. This-frictional security FIG. 8 represents a sectional view taken along lines of making bullet 22 out of a relatively flexiblematerial such as plastic. This frictional security can be maintained against an interface 23 of the interior of the casing 21.

- -A trigger latch 24 can be pivotably'mounted about a pivot pin 25 secured to the stock of air rifle l0. Trigger latch 24 is provided with a tongue 26 that is received within slot 27 of cylinder 11 so that it can engage and retain cup 15. Trigger latch 24 is also provided a cupped groove 28 designed to receivefinger 29 of trigger 30. Finger 29' is designed to fit into groove 28 and cooperate therewith in moveable relation so that when trigger 30 is pulled 'toovercome the constant tension of spring 31, finger 29 will rotate about pivot pin 32 pulling tongue 26 down and out of slot 27. Forward travel of trigger 30 is arrested by face 33 of the rifle stock.

Casing ejector 34 is rotatably mounted about pivot pin 35 fastened to the stock of rifle l0. Ejector 3.4 is held against ejector stop 36 by spring 39. Projection 37 on cylinder 11 is provided to actuate ejector 34 by engaging face 40 of ejector 34 during the cocking phase of operation, rotating ejector 34 about pivot pin 35 up into engagement with casing 21 kicking it out of rifle 10. Slot 41 is provided in rifle 10 to accommodate projection 37.

Projection 38 of cylinder 11 is provided to lock the cylinder in its cocked position preparatory to'firing the bullet 22. Rifle 10 is provided with slot 42 to enable the projection 38 to steady the cylinder during the cocking process and to allow for the necessary travel of projection 38 during that cocking process. r

After firing a bullet, the air rifle 10 is cocked bygripping bolt 12, rotating that bolt approximately 90 counterclockwise a viewed from the stock end of the air rifle. This rotation of bolt 12 causes projections 37 and 38 to rotate the same degree of rotation, aligning them with their respective axial slots. Bolt 12 is then pulled rearwardly toward the stock end of rifle 10 causing projections 37 and 38 to travel along their axial slots. As bolt 12 is pulled toward the stock end of rifle 10', shaft 16 is pushed rearwardly by the inner forward face 43 of cylinder 11 so that cup 15 passes completely over tongue 26 depressing that tongue until cup 15 passes completely over tongue .26. After cup 15 has passed over tongue 26, tongue 26 is urged into its original position in slot 27 by the interaction of trigger latch-24 and trigger 30 in response to spring 31. The return of trigger latch 24 and tongue 26 to their precockingposition' after having been depressed by cup 15 is signalled by a click caused by latch 24 striking cylinder 11. This click signals th operator that shaft 16 is cocked. I

As cylinder 11 is pulled rearwardly into the cocking position, projection 37 travels along slot 41 toward the stock end of rifle 10 and is brought into contact with ejector face .40. The force of this contact. overcomes the retaining spring 39 and pivots ejector 34 about ejector pin 35 urging ejector face 44 against the casing 21. Casing 21 is thereby kicked up and out of engagement with cylinder extension 19, freeing that extension to engage another casing 21. Another casing 21 with bullet 22 is inserted into the stock end of the barrel prior to urging cylinderextension 19 forward into-engagement with it.

Thus, the rifle 10 is cocked and cylinder 11 is ready to be pushed forward by bolt 12 into the locked position in preparation for firing. As bolt 12 into the locked position in prepara- I tion for firing. As bolt 12 is pushed forward causing projecshould be sufficient to insure that bullet 22 will not fall out of casing 21 but not so great thatthe cor'npressed air supplied tions 37 and 38 to travel forward in slots 41 and 42, respectively, spring 14 is compressed in preparation for thrusting shaft 16 forward when tongue 26 is withdrawn from cylinder 11. Bolt 12 is pushed forward mating extension 19 into aperture 20 of casing 21, and rotated clockwise approximately 90 into its locked position. This return of .bolt 12 to its locked position returns projections 37 and 38 to their locked posi-.

tions. Air rifle 10-is then ready for firing.

Air rifle 10 is fired by pulling trigger 30 toward the stock-of air rifle 10, withdrawing tongue 26, releasing cup 15 and spring 14, resulting in a sudden thrustof shaft 16 forward in cylinder 11, .compressing the air in cylinder 11 between seal into casing 21 will not overcome it.,This canbe done easily by l8and facing 43. The suddencompre'ssion of this air causes a relatively strong surge of air through the tube supplied through cylinder extension 19. This surge of compressed air travels through casing 21 into hollow bullet 22. The surge of this compressed air in the hollow of bullet 22 overcomes the I claim: I. In combination, a rifle stock, trigger means fastened to said rifle stock in moveable relation thereto, a rifle barrel fastened to said rifle stock, a cylinder fastened to said rifle stock in moveable relation thereto in axial alignment with said barrel so as to provide axial abutment of said cylinder with said barrel, said cylinder including means capable of compressing air in said cylinder in response to the movement of said trigger means, a hollow bullet casing, and means for mating said bullet casing with said cylinder to enable transfer of the air compressed in said cylinder into said hollow bullet casing and to frictionally engage said bullet casing for its withdrawal from said rifle barrel.

2. The combination of claim 1 together with a means for positive ejection of said casing.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said positive ejection means comprises a member pivotally mounted to said stock laterally of the barrel axis and a projection on said cylinder, said projection positioned to engage said member and to rotate same about its pivot, thereby causing said member to engage said bullet casing and eject same from said rifle.

4. In a toy rifle of the type including a rifle barrel fastened to v a rifle stock, a hollow bullet casing, a cylinder fastened to said stock in moveable relation thereto in axialalignment with said barrel so as to provide axial abutment of said cylinder with said barrel, said cylinder including means capable of compressing air in response to the movement of a trigger, the improvement comprising a cylinder extension positioned in axial alignment with an aperture in said hollow bulletcasing when said casing is positioned in said barrel in the firing position and capable of insertion into said aperture for transferring the air compressed in said cylinder into said casing and of frictionally engaging said bullet casing for its withdrawal from said rifle barrel.

5. ln a toy air rifle of the type including a rifle stock, a trigger means fastened to said rifle stock, a rifle barrel fastened to said rifle stock, a cylinder fastened to said rifle stock in moveable relation thereto in axial alignment with said barrel so as to provide axial abutment of said cylinder with said barrel, said cylinder including means capable of compressing air in response to the movement of said trigger, improved ejection means comprising a member pivotally mounted to said stock laterally of the barrel axis and a projection on said cylinder, said projection positioned to engage said member and to rotate same about its pivot, thereby causing said member to engage said bullet casing and eject same from 

1. In combination, a rifle stock, trigger means fastened to said rifle stock in moveable relation thereto, a rifle barrel fastened to said rifle stock, a cylinder fastened to said rifle stock in moveable relation thereto in axial alignment with said barrel so as to provide axial abutment of said cylinder with said barrel, said cylinder including means capable of compressing air in said cylinder in response to the movement of said trigger means, a hollow bullet casing, and means for mating said bullet casing with said cylinder to enable transfer of the air compressed in said cylinder into said hollow bullet casing and to frictionally engage said bullet casing for its withdrawal from said rifle barrel.
 2. The combination of claim 1 together with a means for positive ejection of said casing.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said positive ejection means comprises a member pivotally mounted to said stock laterally of the barrel axis and a projection on said cylinder, said projection positioned to engage said member and to rotate same about its pivot, thereby causing said member to engage said bullet casing and eject same from said rifle.
 4. In a toy rifle of the type including a rifle barrel fastened to a rifle stock, a hollow bullet casing, a cylinder fastened to said stock in moveable relation thereto in axial alignment with said barrel so as to provide axial abutment of said cylinder with said barrel, said cylinder including means capable of compressing air in response to the movement of a trigger, the improvement comprising a cylinder extension positioned in axial alignment with an aperture in said hollow bullet casing when said casing is positioned in said barrel in the firing position and capable of insertion into said aperture for transferring the air compressed in said cylinder into said casing and of frictionally engaging said bullet casing for its withdrawal from said rifle barrel.
 5. In a toy air rifle of the type including a rifle stock, a trigger means fastened to said rifle stock, a rifle barrel fastened to said rifle stock, a cylinder fastened to said rifle stock in moveable relation thereto in axial alignment with said barrel so as to provide axial abutment of said cylindeR with said barrel, said cylinder including means capable of compressing air in response to the movement of said trigger, improved ejection means comprising a member pivotally mounted to said stock laterally of the barrel axis and a projection on said cylinder, said projection positioned to engage said member and to rotate same about its pivot, thereby causing said member to engage said bullet casing and eject same from said rifle. 